HARRISBURG, Pa.--Megan McDermott won the first 1.40m jumper clss while Caitlin Boyle won the first 1.30m class on Wednesday, Oct. 16 at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show.
Megan McDermott on Nintendo (Photo by Andrew Ryback)For the second year in a row, Boyle began the 1.30m division with a win, this time inthe $10,000 1.30m Two Phase on Chapka de Moyon.
McDermott rode Nintendo to win the $10,000 1.40m Two Phase, finiishing the second-phase in 31.117 seconds.
“Nintendo never lets me down,” said McDermott. “Having him for over three years, he’s the horse that I have in my string right now that I’ve had the longest, so on that level, he’s definitely my best man. He’s just really, really my type. I really like the quirky horses. They sort of keep you on your toes, and I like to have to get into his brain a little bit too. It keeps a little bit more interesting and fun.”
Carly Anthony on Fayuri placed second place in a time of 31.148 seconds, and Alex Matz on Junior Kannan was third in 31.421 seconds.
Boyle was also back in the top ribbons in the 1.40m, this time placing fourth aboard Navaar.
“I THOUGHT the courses in both the 1.30m and the 1.40m were wonderful,” said McDermott of the courses set by Anderson Lima. “You could just keep riding forward, which is what I love, and I think that’s the most correct riding, so it’s always good when that’s encouraged by the course.”
For McDermott, this year marks only her third time competing at the PNHS, but her second visit to the show in 2021 proved instrumental in Nintendo’s career.
“I got him the spring of his 7-year-old year, and the last thing he did as a 7-year-old was come here and jump the 1.30m,” said McDermott. “He’s a really spooky, quirky horse, and I was really not so sure if he would take to the venue and be okay. He was phenomenal then. He was double clear in the 1.30m grand prix which was shocking and surprising. It really changed my opinion of the horse and what I would do with him in his 8-year-old year. So, this was definitely a pivotal show for him as a 7-year-old. Since then, he has just really become my number one partner.”
Boyle on Chapka de Moyon won the $10,000 1.30m Two Phase, finishing in 29.48 seconds for a narrow win over Ireland’s Christian Coyle, who stopped the clock in 29.68 seconds on Ma Pomme de Tamerville, and Wilhelmina Horzepa on Mac Mittens was third in 30.67 seconds.
“Chapka de Moyon is a very small chestnut mare, but she has no idea how small she is,” said Boyle. “Her character is very big. She just actually came back to us off of lease six weeks ago or so. So, I’ve taken her to one show since I’ve had the ride on her again, and she’s started out on a good note!”
“She definitely has a lot of blood,"said Boyle. "So, it’s a little bit just getting to know that feeling again. She’s great. I always trust her. She always has the best intentions when she walks in the ring. She likes to go fast and wants to jump clear.”
Competition at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show continues through Sunday, Oct. 20, with open jumper competition culminating on Saturday, Oct. 19, with the $100,000 Grand Prix de Penn National.